Discussion on drive stalled

The latest Dunedin City Council discussion about future
vehicle access on John Wilson Ocean Dr was yesterday put off
until late October.

The council's community development committee was set to
consider a report from council staff recommending councillors
not support two ideas suggested for the road, which has been
closed since 2006, when the Tahuna outfall was constructed.

The ideas were to install a barrier arm for limited
swipe-card access to the road, or to close it completely and
install a skate strip for ski-dog training.

However, councillors were sidetracked by a separate
recommendation to reduce the proposed speed limit on the
drive from 30kmh to 20kmh.

That discussion was intended to take place at the full
council meeting on October 29.

Councillors decided it made more sense to discuss everything
at the same time, and without enough information on the
implications of a speed limit change, decided to defer the
discussion to the council meeting on October 29.

Good debate about this. For my two pennies worth, you only
have to go to JW Drive and see the mums, dads, pushchairs and
people who meet and get exercise every night to realise a
closed JWDr is worth it's weight in gold.
I take my kids there every night for play, strolls and yes,
dog walking. The comment about dogs and asphalt is wrong -
they love hard surfaces. It really helps harden paws and
helps on rough ground. [Abridged]

In all seriousness, 'what ski-dog training'? Moreover, it is
my understanding that dogs do not appreciate long periods of
exercise on hard asphalt as it causes their paws to become
tender, and use of the grass verges, which are much softer,
would not interfere with moderate vehicle access and
considerate use.
Closure for this length of time would seem to be a harsh
penalty for the public at large to have to pay to get the
area rid of a handful of nuisance 'boy-racers'. Akin to
cracking nuts with a sledge-hammer, perhaps.

It is clear, having followed the debate for a couple of
years, that there is no clear majority. No matter what
decsion is made a large number of people feel hard done by
with respect this issue.
Why is the council council elected? To make decisions, of
course. One thing is for sure, being a decision-maker makes a
person unpopular, no getting around that.
A public vote is a good idea. Wait, we do that now when we
appoint our decision-makers. Don't like the decision? Vote
them out.

Their past record (stadium and Chinese garden) shows they are
not capable of making the right decision. We also need to
stop pandering to the minorities who want to do this or that
with it. It's time to put it to public vote. Then at least
the majority will be happy.

I am astounded that the issue regarding access to John Wilson
Drive has still not been solved. Having recently returned to
Dunedin after an absence of 2 years I am bitterly
disappointed that John Wilson Drive has not reopened for
vehicle access as it was prior to its closure in 2006.